Information: // Owner: The University of Texas // Architect: Snøhetta, Architexas // Construction Type: Renovation
Location: Austin, Texas (View Map)
The University of Texas at Austin’s Blanton Museum is one of the largest university art museums in the country and the principal art museum and collection for Austin. The museum was founded in 1963 and is located in various buildings on campus, where it found a permanent home in 2006.
This project restates the museum’s entry sequence to create cohesion between two buildings with a pedestrian-friendly link. A courtyard between the Edgar A. Smith and Michener buildings features art, walkways, the Faulkner Garden, 12 art sculpture installations, and a 100+ foot plaster mosaic wall. Entryways, the cafe, and the gift shop are being remodeled.
White Construction performed extensive evaluations during preconstruction and implemented cost-saving concepts to address a $4.9 million shortfall. Then, a donor’s gift of $3.9 million returned many of the enhancements to the project. The changes and numerous constructability and materials improvements were managed to avoid delays, maintain museum operations, and minimize interruption of campus life at UT.
